Automatic floor wax applicator



Nov. 19, 1957 L. H. FRIAR 2,813,288

AUTOMATIC FLOOR WAX APPLICATOR Filed 00ft. 4. 1954 Lawrence H Friar INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent A 2,813,288 AUTOMATIC;ELoonwAx-AmIcAroR- LawrenrerHalsteu l riai,=Portland reg. A iicarrdnocwuerwi rs i;srnrNo.460,0'/0

This'invention relates to an automatic floor waxingfand polishing, device of the liquid. reservoir type.

A primary object of this invention. is to providea liquid distributing; means for conveying. the? liquid wax; from a reservoir to the floor. in position for spreading thereof on the floor by an applicator attached to, the underside of the reservoir and in amahner so that a constant and steady of liquid is obtained ensuring a complete andthorough application of the liquid on the floor surface. In this respect, means is provided for initially producing a flow of the liquid from the reservoir through the distributing means so as to prime such means, which is thereafter kept supplied with the liquid by the movements of the reservoir over the floor surface incident to the spreading of the liquid by the applicator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a housing containing a supply of liquid wax or similar surface treating substance and having means for securing an applicator on the underside thereof in a removable manner, so that the applicator can be replaced as required, and carrying a liquid distributing tube in communication with the interior thereof and arranged exteriorly alongside an edge of the applicator and having a plurality of outlet ports through which the liquid constantly drips onto the floor surface in adjacency to the applicator so as to be immediately picked up and spread by the applicator as the housing is moved back and forth by a handle means upstanding therefrom.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sloped false bottom in the housing which defines the bottom of the reservoir and whereby the liquid is caused to flow toward the outlet into the tube and to provide a depressible top wall for the housing which can be depressed to initiate the flow of liquid, means being provided for retaining the top wall in a normal flat position parallel to the flat bottom wall under the sloping false bottom.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a compact, simple waxing device which has no complicated valve and pipe systems and which is easily manipulated.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by this invention, the preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the attached drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a floor waxing device constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1, and,

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional vertical view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral generally designates a receptacle or housing which is preferably, though not restrictively, rectangular in shape and includes a flat bottom wall 12, integral upstanding front and back walls 14 and 16 and opposing vertical end walls 18 and 20. A flat top wall 22, which is formed from flexible material is removably attached to the top of the housing by side and end flanges which Eathtdf New. 1 9,195.95

frictionall-yfit tightly'over the-upper-edges ofi the: end wall's andlfront and back walls:

Thehousing carries an applicator 24 which may be made from any suitable material, such as fabric, rubber, sponge. or the like and which spreads the liquidsubstance over the fl'oor an'd directly applies' i fto -the floor. The applicator is removably. attached to the housing; in a posi tion entirely underlying the bottom 1 wall 12 by an attache ingi means. 26'; whichincludes-- a U-shaped wire frame" 28 having an eye "33 formed at the center ofitsfbight anic The eye swivelly:receives meyejend of a= locking' rod 32 which has a threaded end 34 that i is} laterallyinsertable into: a: slot 3 6 fo'rmed in thela teral 'flange' IiSioEanangIe member 40. The oth'er fiangeofiis-uch member' 'is suitably attached: tie: the end wall l' sr The applicator 'i's formed with parallel'sleeve's 42 011:- its upper surface and the: legs; 44 of the frame areax 11y threaded i'n' the sleeves a longitudinally underlie:the bottom wallt 'Ifhe legs have upstanding free ends" 46' which terminate in lateral lugs 48" that are journalle'd in bearingsswformed on tiie'out side of the end wall 20. The lugs are of such a size an to be insertable through the sleeves-audio snap tit ih the bearings by flexing the ends 46 of the legs. The frame pivots about the bearings and is locked in the position of Fig. 1, holding the applicator beneath the bottom wall 12, by the rod 32 which is secured to the flange by a wing nut 52.

A bail 54 is secured to the back wall 16 at the center of the upper edge thereof and rotatably carries a sleeve 56 which supports an internally threaded lateral socket 58, in which an end of a handle 60 is socketed. The housing defines a reservoir for a liquid wax or other liquid substance to be applied to a floor surface and is provided with a partition or false bottom 62 which is sloped toward the end wall 18. An outlet port is formed in the lower edge of the back wall 16 adjacent the end wall 18 and the false bottom slopes toward the port to cause the liquid to flow thereto only when the container is in a horizontal position. The end wall 18 is provided with a conventional filler opening and closure cap as shown and therefore liquid is automatically prevented from flowing out through the outlet port when the container is resting in a vertical position and being filled with liquid through the filler opening.

A fitting 66 is connected to the port and a tube 68 is attached to the fitting and extends along the bottom edge of the back wall substantially coextensive in length therewith. The tube is formed with downwardly facing outlet apertures 70 which are spaced axially along the tube and from which the liquid drips onto the floor surface.

To initiate the flow of fluid through the tube, the top wall is flexible so that it can be depressed to apply a downward pressure head on the underlying fluid. For this purpose, a foot pad 72, which is preferably resilient to prevent foot slippage and damage to the top, is fixedly superimposed on the top wall adjacent the rear edge thereof. An expansion spring 74 is vertically interposed between the top wall and false bottom below the foot pad 72 and holds the top wall in its normal flat plane and returns it, after each downward deflection, to its normal flat position.

In use, the flow of liquid is initiated by the downward deflection of u the top wall and the liquid flows from the reservoir, defined by the vertical walls, the false bottom and the top wall, through the tube and out the apertures therein. The flow remains constant and steady caused by slushing of the liquid in the reservoir incident to movement of the housing over a surface and the liquid flows out of the apertures onto the surface over which it is spread by the applicator.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed A device for treating floor surfaces comprising a con.

tainer having a fiat top wall, vertical front and back walls,

opposing vertical end walls and a fiat bottom wall extending the full length and width defined by said front, back and end walls, one of said end walls having a filler opening therein, said container beingfadapted to house a supply.

of liquid and an applicator comprising ,a pad entirely underlying said bottom wall for spreading the liquid and applying it directly to a floor, means for removably secur ing the applicator under the container, said back wallhaving a single outlet port formed therein adjacent said one of said end walls for the flow of liquid from the container when in a horizontal position and whereby such flow will be prevented when the container is in a vertical position and being filled with liquid through said filler opening, a

tube connected to the outlet port and extending along the on top of the pad and extending upwardly adjacent one I side wall of the container and terminating in lateral lug portions, said lug portions being journalled in bearings secured to said one side wall, an angle member secured. to the opposite side wall of the container with its lateral flange having a slot therein disposed above said eye in the bight portion of the U-shaped frame, a locking rod threaded at one of its ends and swivelly attached at its opposite end to said eye in the bight portion of said frame, said threaded end of the rod being adapted to be secured in the slot of said lateral flange of said angle member by a nut threaded on the rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 307,877 Stevens Nov. 11, 1884 380,345 Pearce Apr. 3, 1888 607,040 Heinz July 12, 1898 1,029,077 Metzger June 11, 1912 1,406,123 Wenger Feb. 7, 1922 1,593,512 Steiert et al. July 20, 1926 2,475,189 La Scala July 5, 1949 2,533,706 Acocella et a1 Dec. 12, 1950 2,708,283 Vaughn May 17, 1955 2,715,237 Trindl Aug. 16, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 349,758 Great Britain June 4, 1931 

